Q Why do pop stars become actors

A.� An interesting question. There are few areas in life where being successful with one skill leads you to believe you have the wherewithal to perform as well in another. Heart surgeons are not known for enjoying tandem careers singing opera, captains of industry rarely turn out for the first team of a Premier League football club, but that doesn't stop pop and rock stars wanting to appear on the silver screen, with varying degrees of success.

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Q.� How variable

A.� Very variable indeed! Ever since Al Jolson's personna made the quantum leap from embryonic 'pop star to silver screen icon, the movies have regularly seen the attempts of perfectly acceptable vocalists trying their hand at stage and screen acting.

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Q.� What makes musicians think they can act anyway

A.� That's the crucial question, because in more cases than not, they simply can't act. Possessing a level of charisma on a pop or rock stage that the average RADA graduate would kill for doesn't necessarily translate into the particular combination of screen presence that makes for award-winning performances, but it doesn't stop them trying, and failing.

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Q.� Who is actually good at both singing and acting

A.� Probably top of the tree is Frank Sinatra, who managed to combine a career of staggering influence success and longevity as a singer with a clutch of critically acclaimed screen performances, starting with his role in From Here To Eternity. From Frank downwards, the skill levels become decidedly unbalanced. Holding up the UK end of things is Roger Daltrey from The Who, managing to front one of the premier pop and rock bands of the last thirty years, and also acquit himself with reasonable distinction in musical films like Tommy and serious bio-pic McVicar in which he played the early life of reformed criminal John McVicar with convincing ability.

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Q.� Who's a top pop star, but really stinks as an actor

A.� That list is considerably easier to compile. Success and ability a musician and singer are no guarantee of thespian quality. If you need convincing, look at anything Mick Jagger has done, with the exception of Performance in which his acting skills were scarcely stretched playing a jaded rock singer. The zenith of his power as a rock and roll icon is neatly counter-balanced by the nadir of his acting in the film Freejack, and even Mick would change the subject if someone suggested he was up for the lead role in Ned Kelly 2.

Q.� Not everyone can be that bad

A.� No they're not. Most musicians manage to turn in workmanlike performances, which owe more to their potential box-office draw as a known 'name' in their day job, rather than because they really can set the stage or screen alight. David Bowie, an acknowledged musical innovator with few equals has enjoyed patchy success as a screen actor in films like The Man Who Fell To Earth, but considerable critical kudos as a stage performer in the New York stage version of The Elephant Man. Sting created a serious name for himself as The Ace Face in the movie version of The Who's rock opus Quadrophenia, and all but annihilated his reputation by appearing in the total turkey that was David Lynch's overblown movie monster of the sci-fi blockbuster Dune.

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Q.� Where do they go wrong

A.� It's often a case of ego eclipsing ability, combined with a lack of judgement in choosing�suitable scripts and films. As Clint Eastwood said "A good man always knows his limitations." but for pop stars, such self-awareness can be blotted out in the novelty adventure of playing at being a film star.

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Q,� What would be good advice for any singer planning to try their hand at film

A.� Stick to what you do best. Elvis Presley, or at least his manager Colonel Tom Parker had the right idea. The Colonel signed Elvis to a number of films that were seriously underweight in the script department, but only really required Elvis to sing, look good, and get the girl, all of which he could manage with very little effort. Whitney Houston applied herself to some hefty type-casting playing a highly-strung pop star with a seriously overblown sense of her own importance. The result Success,�and a rumoured offer of a role in the next James Bond film.

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Q.� Anything else

A.� Playing a 'larger than life' persona can get you through an appearance when serious acting is not the required approach. Meatloaf has done nicely by seeing the strength of his performance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and using it again to good effect in The Fight Club. Meat would be the first to admit that trying to upstage, much less out-act Brad Pitt is going to be a loser, so better not to try. Failing that, stick to the time-honoured 'cameo' role, where you pop up and the audience goes "Hey that's�..." and you disappear again before they get a chance to see you at length on that all-exposing big screen. Latest example�- Bruce Springsteen in the wonderful High Fidelity, a short snappy appearence, and just enough for people to get a nice warm feeling. Result!

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Q.� Why don't actors try to become singers

A.� That lesson about knowing your limitations appears to be one that actors learn quickly and well, while their vocalising counterparts need to find out the hard way. Would Madonna like to read for the lead in Shanghai Surprise - The Return Nuff said.

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